Acryloyloxy and methacryloyloxy group-containing condensation polymers are known. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,373,221, 3,966,681, 4,162,274, 4,295,947, 4,314,922, 4,328,282 and 4,334,034 disclose acryloyloxy and methacryloyloxy group-containing polyurethanes that are the reaction products of diisocyanates and acryloyloxy and methacryloyloxy group-containing diols that are prepared by the reaction of a polyepoxide and acrylic or methacrylic acid. Such acryloyloxy and methacryloyloxy group-containing polyols have their hydroxyl groups located on secondary carbon atoms, introducing undesirable characteristics into polyurethanes prepared from them. Furthermore, acryloyloxy and methacryloyloxy group-containing polyols prepared from polyepoxides introduce a significant amount of residue from the body of the polyepoxide into polyurethanes prepared from them.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,310,327, 3,267,084, and 3,271,377 disclose monoacrylic and monomethacrylic esters of alkanediols having the formula ##STR1## wherein R is hydrogen or lower alkyl group, R.sup.1 is a lower alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or hydrogen, and m is an integer of 1 to 4, inclusive. These esters are prepared by the hydrolysis of the corresponding ketal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,504 discloses ethylenically-unsaturated diols having the formulae: ##STR2## wherein R is hydrogen or methyl. These esters are disclosed as useful in preparation of hydrogel coatings. There is no disclosure of their use in the preparation of acryloyloxy and methacryloyloxy group-containing polyurethanes or polyesters.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,366,301 and 4,367,302 disclose acryloyloxy and methacryloyloxy group-containing polyurethanes prepared from an organic diisocyanate, a saturated linear diol, a diol having a molecular weight of less than 300, and an unsaturated diol having the formula ##STR3## wherein R is methyl or hydrogen and n is an integer between 1 and 4. The unsatured diol used in preparing these polyurethanes has one hydroxyl group located on a secondary carbon atom. Such secondary hydroxy groups are often sluggish in condensation reactions and may lead to polyurethanes having undesirable characteristics.
Thus, acryloyloxy and methacryloyloxy group condensation polymers described in the prior art have been prepared from deficient acryloyloxy and methacryloyloxy group-containing diols that are contaminated by hydroxyl group-containing compounds having one and three or more hydroxyl groups, diols that have hydroxyl groups on secondary carbon atoms, or diols in which the acryloyloxy and methacryloyloxy group is attached to a secondary carbon atom. The use of such deficient diols in condensation polymers considerably restricts possible processing methods and hence the possible use.